


Love Took Me Down to the River to Silence Me

by MissMacaron



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Guilt, Happy Ending, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Mild Gore
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-03
Updated: 2019-03-03
Packaged: 2019-11-08 09:37:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,718
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17978909
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissMacaron/pseuds/MissMacaron
Summary: Link and Sidon go searching for something and things go horribly awry.





	Love Took Me Down to the River to Silence Me

**Author's Note:**

> "And when he left, I could not speak.
> 
> I lay on the ground, I tried to scream,
> 
> But no sound did come out, I could only bleed."
> 
> -"Love Took Me Down to the River to Silence Me", Little Green Cars

He broke the surface with a triumphant yell. From the shore, Link watched, a smile on his face lit up by the moon. Sidon waved, his hand clutching a glistening, glowing object.

“See, Link! I told you I could find it!” The prince swam towards the shore, holding his trophy above the water, and the reflection of the star fragment shimmered in Link’s eyes.

The two had begun their expedition that day with a hunt, after Link approached the Zora prince with a request: he’d seen a star fall the night before, but after searching the area near where it fell, he’d decided it’d fallen in the river and been covered by silt. Sidon had seen Link’s swimming ability grow and improve, but the former Champion still had issues with going deep underwater. After much pointing and squinting at the sun’s glint on the surface, the two had decided to relax by the water until night came, and the fragment became easier to find.

As Sidon grew closer, Link stood and stretched his arms over his head. A gust of wind picked up, rustling the grass and trees and, most importantly, Link’s hair, which had Sidon smiling a private smile. His adoration for his friend had only grown since the Calamity had been defeated, morphing into something more intense. Still, he never spoke of it, content with the company of the Hylian.

He mused on these thoughts as he reached the shore, basking in his little victory.

The wind stopped.

Like a nightmare, it happened before his eyes.

A figure jumped out of the grass, curved blade raised. Link looked behind himself, one arm reaching for his sword, but he was too slow. Sidon watched as the figure drew the blade across his dear friend’s throat.

Blood sprayed into the night.

Sidon was only half-aware of what happened next. His conscious mind stuck in a loop of _no, this isn’t happening_ left him in a daze, but his body acted without being told what to do. He vaguely processed charging the Yiga, tearing them apart, and then rushing to Link where he lay on the ground. Only then did he come back to himself as he pressed his hands over the gash, holding together, using what little healing ability he had, and praying to his sister for the aid he couldn’t give.

Someone heard his cries for help, because soon, Link was being pulled away from him. Other hands pressed to the wound, bandages and balms and stitches at the ready, and Sidon shifted so that he was not in their way, choosing instead to grasp Link’s hand like both of their lives depended on it. For a moment, maybe they did, because Sidon certainly felt like he died when they lifted his friend and Link’s hand slipped, limp, from his own.

 

He sat in the medical bay, staring down at his hands that, up until a few hours before, had been covered in blood. Sidon hadn’t been able to tell where Link’s lifeblood ended and the Yiga’s began, so drenched had his arms been. He turned his hands over and over, examining them closely for any red left under his claws or in between his fingers, anything he could do to keep from looking at the pale face of his dearest friend, lying unconscious in the bed beside him.

Footsteps rushed across the floor, and he looked up to meet the eyes of the princess. Zelda’s face was red and sweaty, breaths coming in puffy pants, and her brows were knit together so tightly with concern that it may well take ages to set them right again.

“I came as soon as I heard,” she said, forgoing all noble formalities as she neither addressed Sidon by title nor looked his way, beelining for the bedside where she came to kneel.

Sidon looked back at his hands. “The healers say he’s going to pull through. He hasn’t woken up because he still lost a lot of blood, but the wound is healing very quickly.” His chest tightened before he got to the next part of what the healers had said, so painfully that he let out a choked sound. Zelda looked at him.

“Whatever it is,” she said slowly, “he’ll get through it.”

Sidon shook his head. “No, it’s-” he gasped, bending over, squeezing his eyes shut as he was unable to look at her, look towards him, and explain. “The damage runs deep. I-I’m not my sister. I couldn’t heal it, fix it, just stop the bleeding. I couldn’t-” he covered his mouth while tears poured out of his eyes. “If I were better, if I could’ve healed him like-”

A hand came to rest lightly on his shoulder. Sidon startled, raising his head to see the tearful, understanding eyes of the princess as she smiled sadly at him.

“It’s okay. You saved his life.”

Sidon shook his head. “He won’t be able to speak. I couldn’t save his voice.”

To her credit, Zelda didn’t have an immediate reaction. Instead, she slowly turned back to the bed, reaching over to brush Link’s hair out of his face and bending down to press a light kiss to his forehead.

“He was never one much for words anyway.”

“How can you-” Sidon burst out, but Zelda quieted him with a level-headed look.

“Your Highness,” she began, “Link has never been one to dwell on what’s past if he can look to what’s ahead. This will be an adjustment for him, yes, but I’m confident that, with our support, he will come through.” She bowed her head solemnly. “Do not blame yourself. Trust me, nothing good will come from that.” Zelda straightened then, and looked towards the door. “I must speak with your father; it would not do for me to intrude upon your domain and not pay my respects.”

 

Oddly enough, it didn’t really hurt.

Oh, it hurt a lot for a second. But then, the pain faded as he fell back onto the grass. After that, all he felt was cold.

Link couldn’t bring himself to turn his head, so his only awareness of his surroundings came from his hearing. The sounds were mostly screams and something grotesque, something he didn’t want to think about.

For a moment that felt like an eternity, all he could see was the moon, but then, he saw Sidon’s face.

His lovely face.

But something was wrong; Sidon wasn’t smiling. He looked afraid, frantic, panicked.

Link felt pressure around his neck, and a faint warm feeling spread through him. Was he dying?

_“No, dear Link. You will survive this.”_

That was odd; if Link focused one way, he could see Sidon’s face, wracked with pain and fraught with tears, but if he focused another way, he saw another familiar face, one that was much more serene. Mipha.

 _“My brother’s actions will save you; I’m making sure of that.”_ Mipha looked a bit troubled, however. _“There will be… consequences, though.”_

If Link could pull a confused face in his state, he would. As it was, Mipha just smiled at him.

_“You’re very wounded; don’t try to move. Ah, you see… the damage to your throat was too severe. Sidon can save you, but… dear Link, I’m afraid you won’t be able to speak again.”_

Was that all? The way Mipha had put it, Link was prepared for much worse; the loss of a limb, or something. In his experience, words just got people into trouble anyway. Briefly, he thought of a future without speaking. If this meant he’d live, get to see Sidon smiling once more, then so be it. Again, if he could shrug, he would. Mipha beamed at that.

 _“Your unending optimism and perseverance never cease to amaze, Link. I believe you and my brother both will need that in the recovery to come.”_ She looked sadly towards the prince. _“If it’s not too much trouble to ask, please be gentle to him. Once he realizes what he’s done, he’ll likely blame himself.”_

Link agreed, but the world around him began to fade and grow spotty. Mipha’s voice and image became harder to discern.

_“I must… leave you now… Link… Take care… of…”_

Link’s eyes opened to a slightly familiar sight. He recognized his surroundings as the medical wing of the Zora palace. He turned his head, feeling the resistance that the bandages around his throat gave, and his eyes fell upon the hunched, sleeping form of the prince. Sidon looked distressed, even at rest; his brow was furrowed, and his mouth frowned. Link rolled onto his side, wanting to wake the sleeping prince, but when he opened his mouth, all he got was a wheeze and a dull ache. Remembering Mipha’s words, he let his efforts end for now, but reached to Sidon’s hand that dangled off the chair and grabbed a few fingers, interweaving them with his own, before drifting back to sleep.

 

Upon waking, Link found himself alone. Within minutes, the healers were by his side, finishing the touches on his wound, but they sadly told him that there was nothing to be done about the damage to his voice. From the hallway, a broken sound came, and Link could see the shadow of a large Zora. Sidon did not enter.

The bandages were taken off, and Link was shown what was left of the wound; a puckered scar that, he was told, would fade to a pale line with time. A figure outside the door shifted, and yellow eyes met blue for an instant before the former turned away. Sidon still did not enter.

Link was fed a hearty fish stew that made him feel better almost immediately, and he passively listened as the healers discussed his condition. Some spoke highly of the prince’s quick actions, while others mourned his lack of training, but Link paid those no mind. They had not been there. They did not know. Link was eternally grateful for Sidon, consequences be damned.

Like a ghost, the prince himself haunted the doorway.

 

Sidon returned, eventually, but even then, he could not look Link in the eye.

He paced the doorway for a while before coming closer, keeping his eyes latched firmly to the floor as he walked. Stopping just next to the bed, he wrung his hands as he felt Link’s eyes on him, but still could not meet them, despite how he felt he owed it to the hero.

“Link, my… Link.” Could he even call himself a friend anymore? “I am so, so sorry for what I have done to you. As a prince, but also as your friend… if you still…” He took a shuddering breath. “My failure in my training as a healer has caused you irreparable damage, and I fear no penance will ever be enough to make up for it. All the same, I am prepared to do whatever you feel is right to repent for causing you such grave injury. If I had only… if I had only done more…”

Link knew that guilt as if it were his own, and he knew that the prince did not deserve it. There were so many things he wanted to say to Sidon; _It’s not your fault; defeating Ganon did not mean defeating all evil in the world. So long as good existed, bad would coexist to contend it. Even if it hadn’t been the Yiga Clan, there would always be someone. It’s not your fault. I don’t blame you. You shouldn’t blame you. You saved me._ The words came to him, but without an outlet, he truly felt, for the first time, the consequence of his injury. How could he convey to Sidon what he was thinking, when simple gestures were not enough?

Link shifted to his knees and shuffled forward so that he was right in front of where Sidon stood at the edge of the bed. He put his hands to either side of Sidon’s face, and the prince finally met his eyes, startled. What he saw, what they each saw, was a face wracked with anguish, but Sidon could not understand his dear friend’s pain. He prepared to back away, to apologize again, but Link caught him off guard by leaning in and pressing their mouths together.

Sidon, shocked, didn’t know what to do, but all conscious thought left him when Link’s mouth moved so gently against his own. His senses only just returned to him enough to reciprocate, to slide his arms around the Hylian’s smaller form and cradle him, to deepen the kiss when Link relaxed into his hold.

Link broke the kiss and reached his fingers to brush against Sidon’s cheek, wiping away tears. Odd, the prince hadn’t even realized that he’d been crying. He took hold of Link’s hand in his own and pressed his lips to it, eyes dropping.

“My dear, precious Link… can you ever forgive me?”

Link withdrew his hand from Sidon’s grasp and lifted the prince’s chin to draw his attention. Slowly, he signed.

_Yes. Now, forgive yourself._

And then, he wrapped his arms around Sidon’s neck and pulled him in again.

 

Link slept facing away from the prince, the weight a welcome feeling at his back. Sidon’s arm curled around Link’s torso, and every now and again, a deep breath from him would ruffle Link’s hair. Sidon had joined him on the bed at the hero’s request, after more kisses were shared between the two, and Link had fallen asleep comfortably in the prince’s embrace.

Now, as he shifted and came back to consciousness, he noticed something affecting the comfort he had enjoyed; a bulge. What had been a slow awakening suddenly snapped to being fully awake in an instant, and heat rushed to Link’s face and groin as he realized what was happening. He kept his eyes firmly shut, trying to decide what to do while pretending to be asleep for the prince’s sake.

No such luck. He felt Sidon stir behind him, followed by a sharp gasp and a ruckus on the bed as the Zora pulled away.

“Ah-Link, I’m so sorry, I-” Link looked over his shoulder at the mortified face of the prince and reached back, grabbing Sidon’s wrist and pulling his arm back to him. Link turned his face into the pillow to hide his embarrassment at what he was about to do, and pulled Sidon’s hand to his crotch, gasping when it made contact.

Sidon was dead silent for a moment.

“Do you-I mean, you… you do?”

Link bit his lip before turning back to Sidon, releasing his wrist and bringing both hands up to grasp the Zora’s face and pull him down for a kiss, much more intense than the ones they’d shared the night before. Sidon just kissed back until he realized, with the help of Link’s gently shifting hips, that his hand still rested upon the hero’s own erection, which he then began stroking through his shorts.

Link changed positions so that his full body was pressed up against the Zora’s, with Sidon on his back, hips to hips. The two panted into each other’s mouths as Link urged the prince onwards.

 

Sometime later, the two, fully naked, lay together. Sidon puzzled over the words he wanted to say next for a while, but finally built up the courage to speak.

“Link? Um, why…”

Link sighed and sat up, having already mentally prepared his response and gone over the way he would sign it in his head. He looked the prince in the eye and began.

_I love you._

Sidon sputtered, a flush rising in his cheeks, but Link just pressed a finger to his lips to shush him. He continued.

_I know the pain and guilt you feel, and I need you to know that I love you. I don’t want you to feel that way. I thought, if I could show you how I felt, you might forget some of that guilt. Or move past it. Because I love you despite what happened, and I love you for saving me._

Sidon thought carefully on the message. Tears welled up in his eyes and poured down his cheeks, but he smiled.

“You love me. And I love you, my dearest Link."

They came together again.

**Author's Note:**

> I don't like how I ended this but I couldn't make it better.


End file.
